When the Act Becomes too Real
by Enchanted Kagome
Summary: Mr. Chiba and Ms. Tsukino, two ex-business-rivals, pair up to get back at their ex’s. But what happens when they fall for each other instead?
1. Catalyst

**When the Act Becomes too Real**

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**Chapter One**

**Catalyst**

by: Enchanted Kagome

_Summary: Serena Tsukino, a famous model, was just dumped by her boyfriend James. Darien Chiba, a successful businessman, was cheated on by his girlfriend Sylvia. Now the two, ex-business-rivals, becomes a couple to make their ex's jealous. But what happens when the acting becomes too real?_

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"Oh…that is what you think, **now**," Serena hissed, slamming down the phone. She had just gotten off the phone with James, her boyfriend.

"No one will get away with playing me then dumping me! **NO ONE**!" Serena shouted, venting her anger out on the poor phone that was pretty much broken already…

"James, I swear. You will **regret** ditching me for that whore of yours…"

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---1 day later---

Darien slammed the newspaper down on his table.

"Mr. Chiba—"

"Put Ms. Sylvia on the phone!" Darien snapped.

"Y-Yes, sir. Immediately, sir." Darien's secretary stammered, hurrying out of the room, and away from his boss—who, in his opinion, is now driven psycho by anger.

"Oh, Darien sweetheart! You know it's all just a l—" Sylvia's whiny voice ringed out from Darien's phone.

"Really Sylvia! Don't lie! I've known about you and that—James was it—for quite a while. But I figured, it was just another one of your flings, so I ignored it," Darien replied, cutting his girlfriend off.

"It is!" Sylvia insisted. Her tone was now desperate. She knew how much Darien's name had helped her in her modeling business, especially against the ex-number-one model of Tokyo—Serena Tsukino.

"Well then, you shouldn't have let the public find out! I've got my own pride, so we're over," Darien said calmly, masking his hidden anger. He'd forgiven Sylvia more times than he could **count** and this is what she ends up doing to him!

"Darien, please, I can—"

"**No**. We are **over**."

"Dar—"

"What part of 'We are over' do you not understand? Sylvia, I thought you'd save some of your own pride. You did it, now **you** suck up the consequences!" Darien said.

"Fine! Darien! Who cares **anyway**? I wanted to make my relationship with James public months ago! But I was hoping you'd know enough and break off first," Sylvia replied. "Well then, goodbye!"

The phone clicked as she hung up.

Darien banged his fist on the table. He knew that what Sylvia had said were probably just words of anger, but they still annoyed him to no ends.

"Well…you wanted over…I'll give it to you. I'll make you regret ever messing with **me**. I'll make you the bottom one for your career!" Darien shouted out for secretary, who came scurrying in, wondering if he will get back out unharmed.

"Scott…put Ms. Tsukino on the phone," Darien said smugly.

"Ms. **Tsukino**?" the secretary repeated. His boss had spent the last year or so, helping Ms. Sylvia go against Ms. Tsukino. Now he wanted TSUKINO on the line?

"You heard me!" Darien roared.

The secretary let out a small 'eep!' and left. This proves it…his boss was definitely mad. One more sign, and he's sending in his resignation.

"Ms. Tsukino? This is Darien—Darien Chiba," Darien started.

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"This is Darien—Darien Chiba," the voice on the other line said.

Serena glared at her phone (a new one that replaced her last broken one.)

"Yes?" she controlled her anger.

"It has come to my attention that you were recently…dumped by your boyfriend."

She could just **see** the smug smile on his face. This man had spent the past year working against her in EVERY which way, and now he called up to dis her about her social life! The **nerve** of him!

"And it appears that you did too, Mr. **Chiba**," Serena replied.

"Yes. Though I feel have an offer that you would like—despite our past…differences."

"Really?" Serena asked skeptically.

"Surely, you understand that we were the true powers behind both of them—their fame and fortune…"

"Yes…and?"

"They will soon realize that they needed that support. However, if **we** form an alliance, they will have **no** power to push against either one of us, and the titles and things they've gained because of us, will seem like nothing compared to what we'll gain together…"

"Go on." Serena was beginning to like this idea.

"You surely wish to see **their** tears for what they did to you, do you not?"

"Perhaps."

"Then do you accept my offer?"

"And what **exactly** is that offer?" Serena asked.

"That you and I become a couple for a while…"

"And how long is 'a while', might I ask?" Serena put in.

"Between a few months to a year. But I have a feeling that their tears are not too far off."

"Indeed…" Serena said with a smirk on her face. True she and Darien did have—no, **had—**'differences', but he was certainly a good businessman. "Well, Mr. Chiba—no, **Darien** _honey_, you have yourself a deal."

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"Very good. I'll come tomorrow at noon to pick you up for lunch, _sweetheart_," Darien replied, securing his revenge on Sylvia.

"Scott! Be ready to announce by tomorrow, that me and Ms. Tsukino are official dating!" Darien said through the intercom.

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Now his boss was dating his archrival…just great! Is this just confusing him?

He turned to see the intercom still on, and caught an amazingly diabolical laugh from his boss. (Darien had unwittingly stacked his folder on top of the button.)

Ok…that's yet. He's sending in his resignation…

But, then again, if he did, who knows what this lunatic of a boss may do to him? Strangle him? Blackmail him?

Better rethink that…

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**Done! First Chappy finished!**

**Do you guys like it?**

**Sorry, just had to add the last part for humor!**

**Hehe!**

**Reviews please! LOTS and LOTS and LOTS!!!!!! PLEASE!!!! Hehe…I think Scott will run away from my story now…hehe!**

**Ja ne, minna-san!**

**Enchanted Kagome**


	2. First Date

**When the Act Becomes too Real**

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**Chapter Two **

**First Date**

by: Enchanted Kagome

_Summary: Serena Tsukino, a famous model, was just dumped by her boyfriend James. Darien Chiba, a successful businessman, was cheated on by his girlfriend Sylvia. Now the two, ex-business-rivals, becomes a couple to make their ex's jealous. But what happens when the acting becomes too real?_

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Serena checked herself in the mirror for the millionth time. She wore a light blue spaghetti strap dress that reached to about her knees. It was tight-fitting and a bit revealing, but pretty, and brought out her eyes.

"I still can't believe you are going out with Darien," Raye said.

"What can I say? The man is a **true** gentleman," Serena lied.

Raye raised an eyebrow at her best friend's comment.

"'…a **true**…gentleman'?" Raye blinked a few times and even considered pinching herself—though she later decided against it, because pinching hurts… "That isn't what you said yesterday morning."

"Well…I didn't know him then," Serena retorted.

"Right…" Raye was still unconvinced. "You took only **half** a day to find that Darien Chiba was a '**true **gentleman'…"

"What? Something called 'love at first sight'," Serena replied defensely.

_Not saying that applies to us… _she thought.

"And there's also something called 'lying to your best friend'," Raye replied.

Serena sweat dropped.

"Can't you just trust me?"

"Not when you declare it took you a day to find that the man—who was helping Sylvia go against you for a **year**—was a…what was it? Oh…right…'true gentleman'," Raye said, looking at Serena.

"Urg…come **on**! For once, let me do as I please, ok? Pretty please?" Serena said, successfully evading the question. "Please?" Insert Serena's puppy eyes.

"Fine." Raye sighed. "But be back by 2 o'clock for your next shoot, deal?"

"You are the **best** agent and best friend **ANYONE** could as for!" Serena shouted.

"Done. Done. Stop with the flatteries. Mr. Chiba should be here any minute now!" Raye winked slyly and walked out of the room. "Have **fun**!"

"That Raye knows me too well," Serena said to herself.

"I heard that!" came a voice from the hallway.

"Hehe…hehe…hehe…no wonder," Serena muttered.

"I heard that, too!"

_I'm shutting up now…I'm shutting up now… I'm shutting up now…I'm shutting up now…_ Serena reminded herself, whispering the words link a mantra.

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"So, what would you like to order?" Darien asked his new girlfriend.

"I haven't been here before, so why don't you order instead?" Serena offered politely. That was true. James had been a miser. If she actually wanted to eat something decent on their dates…well, **she** was the one who has to **pay**. She may be rich, but money doesn't fall from the sky, especially not with that **Sylvia**…speaking of whom…

Serena gnashed her teeth. It made her angry, just thinking about her rival. It wasn't like Sylvia actually had **anything**. Her only weapon was the ability to sleep with any man to get what she wants. Seriously, Sylvia had no honor…nor did she have a moral either! It was **absolutely** DISGUSTING! Serena couldn't believe her one-time…

"Serena? You in there?" Darien asked.

"Huh? Oh…yeah…" she trailed off.

"I ordered steak for us, is that ok?" Darien asked.

"Sure…Whatever you like is fine," Serena smiled. _He's being such a gentleman! It's almost impossible to believe he's the pillar of that **wench**…_

_She has a nice smile…No wonder she presented such a threat to Sylvia…_ Darien thought, before shaking off his thoughts…

"So, I'm taking it that you get harassed as much, by those reporters, as me?" Serena joked, trying to make conversation.

"Oh yeah…though there was a lot more than usual… I guess we can split the number half-half then?" Darien replied with a smirk.

"I guess so…but the more the merrier, no?" Serena hinted. "Anyway, you got in pretty fast. Do you come here often?"

"I used to come here once a week with Sylvia…" Darien trailed off, his happy mood slipping away. No matter what, he had enjoyed Sylvia's company. It was the only reason why he had put up with her…infidelities. He thought that she really only had **him** in her heart…until that James came along…

"Oh…I see…" Serena said.

They trailed off into silence again.

"So…where did you and James used to go?" Darien asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Nowhere you would know," Serena replied.

"Oh?" Darien raised an eyebrow. He didn't think that a wealthy and popular model like her would suffer to eat anywhere below a five-star restaurant. "Try me."

"Well, for one…the Ramen Shop…and McDonald's…" Serena replied, blushing.

Darien stared at her for a minute before cracking up.

"The Ramen Shop? You? **A world-famous model**? At a **RAMEN SHOP**?" Darien started laughing again.

Serena waited patiently for her date to stop laughing.

"You let him take you to those places?" Darien asked, becoming serious again. He still found it hard to believe that Serena **Tsukino** would eat in a RAMEN SHOP!

"Well, it was a childhood favorite…me and the neighborhood kids used to crowd at the Ramen Shop in the corner and share a bowl of noodles for 1 hour of work…" Serena said, drifting back into childhood memories.

"I guess everyone had a hard childhood," Darien offered.

"More like no childhood. I was picked up around 7 years of age…and have been modeling since," Serena replied

"Hard to think that you haven't always been famous," Darien said.

"And it's hard to think you haven't always been rich," Serena retorted.

"Well…well…if it isn't the Slut…" a hard mocking voice rang through the restaurant.

Serena turned to see who the offender was, but Darien already knew that whiny voice.

"Sylvia…" he said without emotions.

"Exactly **who** are you calling a 'slut', whore?" Serena asked, suppressing her anger and keeping a straight face.

"You stole my boyfriend!" Sylvia shrieked, pointing a well-manicured nail at her rival.

"Like you really care for hi—Darien! Seriously, you think other people don't know that you sleep with every man you need to?" Serena replied coolly.

"You!" Sylvia shouted.

"Are you insulting my girlfriend?"

Serena turned over to see James stand protectively over Sylvia. _That used to be me he stood over…protected over. I used to be his girlfriend…the one he loved…_

Sylvia took the time to reach for a glass of ice water and turn it over…on top of Serena's head.

Serena gasped as the cold water hit her head and soaked through her clothes.

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**Finally! Second Chappy done! Longer than the first!**

**Hope you liked it!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!**

**I'd like my readers to guess the answer to this question, what was the relationship between Serena and Sylvia BEFORE this?**

**Hehe…might be unexpected…Though there is a hint towards it in this chapter…**

**Ja ne, minna-san!**

**Enchanted Kagome**


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